South University-Savannah Online
Savannah, Georgia · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 7/100 · Poor Value
South University-Savannah Online posts a 7 ROI score - one of the worst in our entire dataset. Almost every metric is a red flag. Tuition is $18,145 but the net price is $28,049 - a $9,904 net-price-over-tuition gap that signals heavy fees, technology charges, and indirect costs typical of online for-profit programs. Four-year total runs $112,196. Ten-year median earnings of $34,421 are barely higher than six-year earnings of $32,500, showing essentially no wage growth. Earnings premium is NEGATIVE 0.5 percent: graduates earn less than a high-school grad on average. Median federal debt of $26,123 against this stalled income yields a 0.804 debt-to-earnings ratio. Payback is reported as 999 years - earnings never recoup the cost in any realistic timeframe. Repayment metrics are devastating: just 38.7 percent at one year, 27.4 percent at five years (drifting DOWN, not up), and 33.9 percent at seven years. Completion rate is just 6.9 percent. Pell rate is 79.6 percent, indicating overwhelmingly low-income enrollment. Enrollment is 6,433 students. This is a high-volume, predatory pattern: low-income adults borrowing federal money for credentials that produce no labor-market return.
The data raises concerns about South University-Savannah Online
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score7/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate6.9% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
South University-Savannah Online
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Average net price | $28,049/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $112,196 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,421 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,123 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $277 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 6.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,433 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at South University-Savannah Online is $18,145/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $28,049/year, or roughly $112,196 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $27,856/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,298/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,123 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $277 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,421 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.80 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $27,856 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,368 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $29,209 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,126 |
| $110,001+ | $34,298 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $27,856 per year net, about $111,400 over four. Pell ($7,395 max) leaves $20,461 per year to fill, almost entirely through federal Direct loans and Parent PLUS. With negative earnings premium, this debt is unservicable for low-income graduates. This is exactly the population most harmed by the program structure.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001 to $75,000 pay $29,209 - basically the same as the under-$30K bracket. Institutional aid formulas here do not meaningfully discount based on income. Middle-income families face the same $116K four-year sticker as low-income peers, with similarly weak outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $34,298, slightly higher than middle brackets. Very few affluent students enroll in for-profit online programs of this type; the typical student is a working adult with Pell eligibility. The pricing structure exists but the customer base is concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at South University-Savannah Online with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $46,885 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,445 | F |
| Registered Nursing | $91,363 | C+ |
| Psychology | $39,694 | F |
| Information Science | $58,915 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,322 | F |
| Public Health | $45,993 | F |
| Legal Support Services | $49,335 | F |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $47,390 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health and Medical Administrative Services is the largest program with 177 graduates. The financial damage is severe: one-year earnings of $39,722 climb only to $46,885 by year four, against $55,123 median debt - a 1.388 ratio and F grade. This is exactly the predatory dynamic critics flag: a heavily borrowed credential leading to entry-level healthcare admin roles that pay no premium over what's reachable through community college medical-billing certificates.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 147 graduates with one-year earnings of $43,773 climbing to $53,445 by year four, against $55,162 median debt - a 1.26 ratio and F grade. Graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and the earnings trajectory is flat. Online state-university business degrees (Penn State World Campus, Arizona State Online) deliver comparable or better outcomes at half the debt.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is the one bright spot with 130 graduates - one-year earnings of $77,635 climbing to $91,363 by year four. But median debt of $41,815 (highest debt-to-earnings still at 0.539, a C+ grade) reflects the program's heavy charges. Note that nursing earnings here likely reflect students who completed an online RN-to-BSN bridge after already practicing as RNs from prior credentials, NOT entry-level BSN production. Read the program structure carefully before enrolling.
Psychology
Psychology produces 52 graduates with one-year earnings of $28,684 and four-year of $39,694, against $54,702 median debt - a 1.907 ratio and F grade. Worst debt-to-earnings ratio of any program on campus. Online psychology BAs are nearly worthless in the labor market without graduate work; the debt level here ensures graduates cannot afford that graduate degree. A trap by design.
Information Science
Information Science produces 51 graduates with one-year earnings of $44,682 and four-year of $58,915, against $52,173 debt - a 1.168 ratio and F grade. Outcomes lag behind comparable online IS programs at WGU or state systems by 20 to 40 percent on earnings while charging double the price. Online IT certifications (CompTIA, AWS, Cisco) plus a community college AAS deliver far better ROI.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 6,433 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 79.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,181 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported. As a for-profit online program, South University-Savannah Online appears effectively open-enrollment with rolling admissions. The 6.9 percent completion rate makes clear that getting in is trivial; finishing a credential is the binding constraint, and the school does not appear to be supporting students through completion at any reasonable rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer set is unusually accurate: South University-Savannah (the brick-and-mortar campus this online program tags off of), American InterContinental University-Atlanta, AIU-System, LA Film School, and Strayer University-Global Region. All are large for-profit online programs with similar predatory dynamics. ROI scores across this peer set are uniformly in the single digits or low teens. Strayer typically performs slightly better thanks to broader enrollment in business credentials. None are value plays; this is a peer group built around regulatory concerns rather than educational ROI.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| South University-Savannah Online (this school) | 7 | $28,049 | $34,421 |
| South University-Montgomery | 7 | $27,807 | $34,421 |
| National American University-Rapid City | 7 | $31,062 | $37,325 |
| American InterContinental University-Atlanta | 7 | $16,482 | $36,144 |
| South University-Virginia Beach | 7 | $27,843 | $34,421 |
| South University-Austin | 7 | $25,680 | $34,421 |
Who Thrives Here
South University-Savannah Online targets working adults pursuing online credentials in nursing, business, healthcare administration, or psychology. The 79.6 percent Pell rate signals overwhelmingly low-income enrollment, and the 6,433-student footprint reflects substantial federal-aid revenue. The 6.9 percent completion rate means roughly 93 percent of enrollees never finish a credential but leave with debt. This program does not fit any rational student profile - prospective enrollees should look at WGU (Western Governors), Georgia State University Online, or Savannah State University, all of which offer comparable online credentials at far better ROI.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about South University-Savannah Online. With a net cost of $28,049 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,421 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 6.9% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,123 against $34,421 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.